It has been years since I first found all the writing here at Eyrie Productions. Even now I am impressed with how much background and thought go into every story here. It has provided me much enjoyment over the years.

Recently I realized that it had been a while since I visited the site and much to my pleasure I found that my favorite series so far, Symphony of the Sword, had been updated several times. One of my greatest fears is that I will come to the site and find that there were no more stories in the works. Even with all that there is, there is still so many stories to tell in this universe.

This time however, I continue to have less time to read, but still time to listen. So I started to listen to the Audio versions of the stories.

For being done on the cheap, they are quite good. Honestly I would of paid something for them as it just makes it really convenient to listen to. Are there any plans to do the rest of the series in Audio as well? As it stands it looks like only the first 2 and the last symphony have audio editions. I am on Hogtown Rhapsody, One of my favorite, currently and was just wondering about it. I tried to read some of it, but the audio editions really add something to the story telling. Less of me skipping words or paragraphs as I speed read I suspect.

Not to mention the sound effects.

Either way, I was just curious. I also just wanted to get out there how much I enjoy this series. From what I can tell it is one of, if not the sole, longest running on the net. I would buy it in hardcover if I could, though I am sure the licensing would be a real pain. Wonder if any printer would print for personal use...

This must be my 5 or 6th complete read through over the years, needs to be scheduled you know, and I still enjoy it as much as when I first found it. I know I say I have enjoyed it several times, but I believe it bears repeating...

"Your weapons are no match for ours! People of Mars, surrender!""Um, this isn't Mars. This is Earth.""Earth? Earth-with-nuclear-weapons Earth?""Yes." "Friend!"- Unknown

The biggest issue with making the Audio versions is the same thing with the rest of EPU, it all depends on Gryphon's free time. Which, since he's gone back to school to finish his degree, is extremely limited. The main reason there was so much new material this summer is that he had a burst of inspiration that coincided with his summer break.

--------Wedge Defense Force General Order 12: "Try to avoid freaking the mundanes."

>Are there any plans to do the rest of the series in Audio >as well? As it stands it looks like only the first 2 and the last >symphony have audio editions.

Well, "plans" is a bit generous, but I do have at least the vague intent of recording the entire Symphony canon... eventually. With newer pieces this hasn't been an issue, since I've taken to recording an audio version concurrent with the text release (though in a couple of recent cases this has introduced errors that really need correcting; but that's a different issue), but the "back catalog" represents a major project that's far from completion.

There are two main problems. One is that recording these pieces involves a significant time investment, and so is not always a reasonable thing to be doing. Symphony No. 1 required a concerted effort over the course of more or less an entire summer, during which I didn't get a heck of a lot done as regards creating anything new. (As a corollary, recording is sometimes outright impossible, as when I am, for instance, ill with something that affects my voice, or not at home). The other is that the files take up a humongous amount of disk space - enough so that we've basically run out. This is being worked on, but in the short-to-medium term it's already necessitated taking down some of the older non-Symphony recordings to make room for e.g. the audio versions of this summer's Symphony installments.

>I am sure the licensing would be a real pain.

I'm reasonably certain it wouldn't even be possible, and at this point a serious investigation into the matter would only attract attention...

Gryph, I just wanted to chime in and say that the only guys who make me as excited about a new book as I am when I see a new story appear on the What's New page at EPU have names like Stross and Pratchett.